Conversion adapter, medical system and communication method

Abstract

A conversion adapter according to an embodiment of the invention is connected between a control apparatus that controls a medical appliance and the medical appliance and operates as the virtual control apparatus and medical apparatus. Thus, the communication between the control apparatus and medical appliance having different protocols and communication speeds can be performed efficiently. The conversion adapter includes an appliance information managing section, a control section, a first buffer, a second buffer, an appliance-specific command interpreting section, a communication I/F, and a communication I/F.

1. A conversion adapter for connecting a control apparatus that controls a medical appliance and the medical appliance, the adapter comprising:
 a first communication unit for performing communication with the control apparatus based on a first protocol; 
 a second communication unit for performing communication with the medical appliance based on a second protocol; 
 a data extracting unit for extracting communication data from a data signal based on function information associating the data signal received through the first communication unit and the second communication unit and a function of the medical appliance; 
 a first storage unit for storing the communication data received from the control apparatus based on the first protocol; 
 a second storage unit for storing the communication data received from the medical appliance based on the second protocol; and 
 a control unit for transmitting the communication data stored in the first storage unit to the medical appliance through the second communication unit, transmitting the communication data stored in the second storage unit to the control apparatus through the first communication unit and further transmitting a response signal to the medical appliance through the second communication unit when the communication data is received through the second communication unit. 
 
   
   
     2. The conversion adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the function information includes: 
 common function information associating the data signal and a common function in the multiple medical appliances; and 
 unique function information associating the data signal and a unique function to the medical appliance. 
 
   
   
     3. The conversion adapter according to  claim 2 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     4. The conversion adapter according to  claim 2 , wherein the medical appliance is an electric knife. 
   
   
     5. The conversion adapter according to  claim 4 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     6. The conversion adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein;
 the control unit obtains the communication data from the control apparatus at a predetermined timing based on the first protocol and updates the communication data stored in the first storage unit. 
 
   
   
     7. The conversion adapter according to  claim 6 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     8. The conversion adapter according to  claim 6 , wherein the medical appliance is an electric knife. 
   
   
     9. The conversion adapter according to  claim 8 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     10. The conversion adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the medical appliance is an electric knife. 
   
   
     11. The conversion adapter according to  claim 10 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     12. A medical system including a conversion adapter for connecting a control apparatus that controls a medical appliance and the medical appliance,
 wherein the conversion adapter includes: 
 a first communication unit for performing communication with the control apparatus based on a first protocol; 
 a second communication unit for performing communication with the medical appliance based on a second protocol; 
 a data extracting unit for extracting communication data from a data signal based on function information associating the data signal received through the first communication unit and the second communication unit and a function of the medical appliance; 
 a first storage unit for storing the communication data received from the control apparatus based on the first protocol; 
 a second storage unit for storing the communication data received from the medical appliance based on the second protocol; and 
 a control unit for transmitting the communication data stored in the first storage unit to the medical appliance through the second communication unit, transmitting the communication data stored in the second storage unit to the control apparatus through the first communication unit and further transmitting a response signal to the medical appliance through the second communication unit when the communication data is received through the second communication unit. 
 
   
   
     13. The medical system according to  claim 12 , wherein the medical appliance is an electric knife. 
   
   
     14. The medical system according to  claim 13 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     15. The medical system according to  claim 12 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     16. A communication method in a conversion adapter for connecting a control apparatus that controls a medical appliance and the medical appliance, the method comprising:
 a response step of transmitting a response signal to the medical appliance through when communication data is received from the medical appliance; 
 a communication data storage step of storing the communication data; 
 a communication data transmission step of transmitting the stored communication data to the control apparatus; 
 an appliance data storage step of storing appliance data when the appliance data is received from the control apparatus; and 
 an appliance data transmission step of transmitting the stored appliance data to the medical appliance at a predetermined timing based on a second protocol. 
 
   
   
     17. The communication method according to  claim 16 , wherein the medical appliance is an electric knife. 
   
   
     18. The communication method according to  claim 17 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     19. The conversion adapter according to  claim 1 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol. 
   
   
     20. The communication method according to  claim 16 , wherein the second protocol is RS-232C protocol.